Drain-cup for brass wind instruments.



J. C. STEINBRUECK.

DRAIN CUP FOR BRASS wmo INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION ElLED MAR-1, I918.-

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

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JOHN C. STEINBRUEGK, 0F AUBURN, vWASH INGr'lON.

DRAIN-CUP FOR BRASS WIND INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed March 1, 1918. Serial No. 219,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. STEINBRUECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Kingand State of \Vashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drain Cups for Brass Wind Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to improvements in wind instruments of that class held in an up-.

right position when being played and is especially designed to provide means for trapping water which would otherwise aocumulate in the bends of such instruments in a manner to interfere with their tone.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a trap or drain receptacle which is located below the actual wind passage in the bend of the instrument so that water will not accumulate in such bend, but will drain into the receptacle, novel means being provided for preventing the return of the water into thewind passage at any time and espe cially in the event of the instrument being stood upon its bell or in a position reversed from its playing position.

It is well known that in an instrument of this character there is a constant accumulationof water in the bend due to the moisture from the breath of the performer and it has been the usual custom to provide a so called water key for the purpose of permitting the escape of accumulated moisture. The present'invention however, prevents this accumulation, by the use of the drain'receptacle. This is especially advantageous in the playof an awkward break or pause for the purpose of opening the key and emptying the wind passage. 1

. The present invention overcomes these, and many other advantages will be apparent when the following description i read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of a wind instrument of the upright type, illustrating a bend of the instrument with the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an irregular cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modified form of the invention which is detachably secured to the instrument;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the extension to which the drain receptacle illustrated in Figs. 4: and 5 is secured.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the bend of a wind instrument of the upright type, such as is ordinarily known as a base, baritone or alto horn and which is held in an upright position when playing, but which, when not in use is usually inverted, so that the bell of the instrument rests upon the floor or other suport.

At the bend 1 there is provided an opening 2, which communicates with the wind passage of the instrument and surrounding this opening and in communication with the wind passage through said opening, is a casing or receptacle 3. The casing 3 is disposed to one'side of the wind passage, its position being below thelatter when the instrument is held in playing position and the opening 2 is so locatedthat moistureentering the wind passage will drain through the opening 2 into the receptacle 3, so that the accumula tion of water within said passage will be prevented and the proper tone of the instrument maintained.

Surrounding the opening 2 and disposed within the casing 3 is a retaining cage 4,. 'w1th1n which 15 lo ated a ball valve'5. This valve is permitted a limited movement between a valve seat 6 and a port 7, the cage being provided with a slot which forms passages 8 surrounding the port, so that moisture from the wind passage may pass freely from the cage, into the receptacle 3. Vhen the instrument is inverted so that it rests upon the bell. the ball valve 5 w ll engage the seat 6 and form a seal between the interior of the receptacle 3 and the wind passage and efl'ectually prevent accumulated moisture from passing from the said recepta le back into the wind passage.

The receptacle 3 is provided with an outlet 9, which is normally closed by a cap 10, the latter being arranged upon one end of a spring pressed lever 11, that is pivotally secured as at 12 unon a lug 13 secured to the receptacle 3. The construction just described is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings and is intended to be applied to instruments during their process of manufacture.

In Figs. 4: to 6 of the drawing there is illustrated the formiof the invention which is designed to be detachably connected to instruments already in use. This consists in providing the bend 14 of the instrument with an opening or passage 15, which is formed in an extension 14,,the said opening being in communication with the wind passage of the instrument. Removably secured to the extension 16 is a valve cage 17, which is provided with a valve seat 18 and a port 19 and within which is located a ball valve 20. The port 19 hasextending therefrom radial grooves or depressions 21 for the purpose of permitting the accumulated moisture to pass the valve whenthe latter is positioned upon this seat. When the valve 20 is upon the seat 18 however, as when the instrument is inverted, the said valve ,Wlll effectually prevent the passage of moisture therethrough; The cage 17 isremovably secured .upon the bend 14 by means of oppositely disposed straps. 22, one end of each of these straps being secured to opposite.

sides of the cage, while their opposite ends terminate in alined ears 23, which are provided with openings for the passageof a securing element 2 1, which may. be in the form of abolt or other similar fastening device. The exterior surface of the cage 17 is of frusto conical formation, so as to provide a slip- ]O1I1t 25 for a drain receptacle 26, which is adapted to receive the accumulated moisture passing from the wind passage through the opening 15. Thedrain receptacle 26 is preferably cylindrical in form and is provided with a, knurled or roughened band 27 to facilitateits positions ing upon the valve cage 17. Arranged between the valve cage and the extension 16 is a suitable packing by means of which the passage of moisture around opening 15 is prevented.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in form, proportion and minor details of construction, for example the valve cage may threadedly engage the extension 16 if desired.

While the. invention is .shown and de-- scribed as applied to a particular type of wind instrument, it ,is,,,desired that it bean-1 claimed is':. r

1. The combination with a wind instrument provided with'a bend having an opening therein, of a drain receptacle located at said bend below the wind passage thereof and surrounding said opening, a valve and means other than manually operated means whereby the valve is opened when the in.- strument. is. in a normal or playing position and closed. when the instrument is man in.- verted. position.

2. The combination with a-wind instrue inent provided with a bend having an opening therein, of a drain: receptacle located at said bend below the wind passagclthereof and surrounding said. opening anda gravity operated valve within said receptacle, said valvebeing opened when the instrument is,

in a normalor, playing position and closed whenthe instrument is in an inverted posi; tion.

3. The combination. with a .wind instrument provided. with abendhaving an opening therein, of a. valvecage surrounding the open-111g, a valve seat. at one end of. sa d cage, a slottedport atthe other end thereof and a gravityvalve freely movable between said port and'seat.

4. The combination.- with a wind-instrument provided with a bend having an opening therein, of a valve cagesecured around said opening, a valve seat at one end of the cage, a port at the other end thereof, said cage havingrnotches in. communication with said port, a valve movable in said cage and av receptacle surrounding the cage and re: movably connected to the instrument.

5. The. combination with a. wind instrument provided with a bend having an opening therein, of a valve cage communicating with said opening, a valve seat at the inner end of the cage, a port at the opposite end,

thereof, the latter being provided with radially disposed notches, a-ball valve in said cage, a receptacle removably'connected Wllllla the cage and means secured to the. instrument for retaining said cage in position.

In testimony whereof I affix myasignature.

JOHN. c... srniuenuncn.

Copies. of this patent may be obtained. .for five cents each. by addressing the Commissionerof Patents, Washington, D. G. 

